Keyless vehicle entry and engine starting system

• US 5,736,935 A
• Filed: 03/14/1995
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Lambropoulos, George P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US08/404,165
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.31, 340/825.72, 364/424.1, 364/424.099, 123/179.2, 123/179.3, 123/179.4, 477/99
• US Class Current: 340/426.16
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00365 in combination with a wake-up circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00547 starting ignition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A vehicle transceiver is employed in a keyless entry system for gaining entry into a vehicle and also for starting the vehicle'"'"'s engine. The transceiver includes means for providing a start engine signal representative that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is to be started, a brake signal representative that the vehicle'"'"'s brake pedal has been depressed and a seat occupied signal representative that an occupant is located in the vehicle'"'"'s driver seat. In response to these three signals, the transceiver transmits an interrogation signal to a remote transceiver which responds with a reply signal. The reply signal from the remote transceiver includes a security code that uniquely identifies the remote transceiver from similar remote transceivers. The vehicle'"'"'s transceiver stores a prestored security code representative of a remote transceiver that may validly gain entry into the vehicle. The received security code from the remote transceiver and the prestored security code are compared and if a match takes place, the engine may be started.

Claims

1. A vehicle transceiver for use in a keyless entry system and for use in starting a vehicle'"'"'s engine and including:

means for providing a start engine signal representative that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is to be started;

means for providing a brake signal representative that the vehicle'"'"'s brake pedal has been depressed;

means for providing a seat occupied signal representative that an occupant is located in the vehicle'"'"'s driver seat;

means responsive to the occurrence of said start engine signal and said brake signal and said seat occupied signal for transmitting an interrogation signal to a remote transceiver;

means for receiving a reply signal from a remote transceiver wherein said reply signal includes a security code which uniquely identifies said remote transceiver;

means for storing a prestored security code representative of said remote transceiver;

means for comparing said prestored security code and said received security code and, if a match takes place, initiating action for enabling the starting of said vehicle'"'"'s engine.

2. A vehicle transceiver as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for storing a prestored security code includes means for storing a plurality of prestored security codes each uniquely identifying an associated remote transceiver.

3. A vehicle transceiver as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for comparing includes means for sequentially comparing said received security code with said plurality of prestored security codes to determine if a match takes place with any one of said prestored security codes.

4. A vehicle transceiver as set forth in claim 1 wherein said interrogation signal includes an interrogation code uniquely identifying said vehicle transceiver.

5. A vehicle transceiver as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for storing a prestored security code includes means for storing a plurality of prestored security codes each uniquely identifying an associated remote transceiver.

6. A vehicle transceiver as set forth in claim 5 wherein said means for comparing includes means for sequentially comparing said received security code with said plurality of prestored security codes to determine if a match takes place with any one of said prestored security codes.

7. A vehicle transceiver as set forth in claim 1 wherein said interrogation signal is a second interrogation signal and wherein said vehicle transceiver includes transmitting means including means for transmitting a first interrogation signal and said responsive means for transmitting said second interrogation signal.

8. A vehicle transceiver as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first interrogation signal includes an interrogation code uniquely identifying said vehicle transceiver.

9. A vehicle transceiver as set forth in claim 7 wherein said second interrogation signal includes an interrogation code uniquely identifying said vehicle transceiver.

10. A vehicle transceiver as set forth in claim 7 wherein each said interrogation signal includes an interrogation code uniquely identifying said vehicle transceiver.